Request for Applications for the National Faith-Based and National Community Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Programs for High-Risk Women, 32538-32552 [06-5135]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32538-32552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5135]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Request for Applications for the National Faith-Based and 
National Community Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Programs for High-
Risk Women

AGENCY: Office on Women's Health, Office of Public Health and Science, 
Office of the Secretary, DHHS.
    Announcement Type: Competitive Cooperative Agreement FY 2006 
Initial announcement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: Not applicable.
    OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: The OMB Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance number is pending.

DATES: Letter of Intent: June 21, 2006.
    Application Deadline: July 6, 2006.
    Anticipated Award Date: October 4, 2006.

SUMMARY: The Office on Women's Health (OWH) and the Office of Minority 
Health (OMH) within the Office of Public Health and Science, and the 
Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) within the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services 
(DHHS), are interested in establishing national faith-based and/or 
national community cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programs.
    The purpose of the programs is to reduce CVD mortality and 
morbidity among high-risk women in the United States through medical 
screening and risk behavior modification. The CVD prevention programs 
will be targeted towards high-risk racial and ethnic minority women, 
aged 40 years and older; however, all high-risk women shall be eligible 
to participate in the programs regardless of race, religion, or age.
    Each grantee shall implement one program in 10 faith-based or 
community-based sites across the United States, including urban and 
rural areas. The main goal will be for program participants to increase 
their level of physical activity and establish or maintain a healthy 
weight over the course of the program. The educational phase of the 
program shall consist of eight bi-weekly sessions that shall counsel 
women on all of the major risk factors for CVD--smoking, Type 2

[[Page 32539]]

diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, obesity, and physical inactivity--
while primarily focusing on controlling weight and increasing physical 
activity. The maintenance phase of the project shall consist of 
regularly scheduled, interactive maintenance sessions that shall be 
designed by program participants. During both phases, participants will 
be screened for all six major CVD risk factors. All counseling and 
maintenance sessions shall include small group discussions and a 
physical activity component focused on reducing risk.
    These awards focus on President Bush's agenda to broaden Federal 
efforts to work with faith-based and community organizations. As such, 
each applicant must either: (1) Be a national faith-based or national 
community organization that has a network of at least 10 sites across 
the United States with large populations of high-risk racial and ethnic 
minority women, aged 40 years and older, or (2) partner with a national 
faith-based or national community organization that has a network of at 
least 10 sites across the United States with large populations of high-
risk racial and ethnic minority women, aged 40 years and older. Non-
profit and for profit organizations that meet the above criteria are 
eligible to apply. Faith-based organizations, community-based 
organizations, tribal entities, educational institutions, community 
health centers, and government entities that meet the above criteria 
are also eligible and encouraged to apply.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Authority

    This program is authorized by 42 U.S.C. 300u-2(a) and 42 U.S.C. 
287d.

2. Purpose

    This cooperative agreement shall fund national faith-based and/or 
national community cardiovascular disease (CVD) clinical prevention 
programs to reduce cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity among 
high-risk women in the United States through counseling and risk 
behavior modification. The CVD prevention programs will be targeted 
towards high-risk racial and ethnic minority women, aged 40 years and 
older, however, all high-risk women shall be eligible to participate in 
the programs regardless of race, religion, or age. Each grantee shall 
implement one program in 10 faith-based or community-based sites across 
the United States, including urban and rural areas. The main goal will 
be for program participants to increase their level of physical 
activity and establish or maintain a healthy weight over the course of 
the program.

3. Requirements

A. Sites and Populations
    This cooperative agreement grant announcement focuses on President 
Bush's agenda to broaden Federal efforts to work with faith-based and 
community organizations. For more information on the Administration's 
Faith-Based Initiative, please see the following Web site: https://
www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/.
    The grantee shall select 10 faith-based or community-based sites 
with large populations of high-risk racial and ethnic minority women 
where the program shall be implemented. The grantees' access to these 
population(s) through the faith-based or community-based sites should 
be demonstrated by a history of collaboration or direct programmatic 
delivery. All sites should be chosen from within the network of the 
National faith-based or National community organization. Examples of 
sites include community health centers, retirement centers, group 
counseling session centers, child care centers, fitness and/or 
recreation centers, community clinics, and places of worship. The 10 
sites must not be located in only one section of the country; they must 
be geographically dispersed throughout the United States, including 
urban and rural areas. The grantee shall sign an MOU with each site 
that describes the expectations and duties of each party.
    The grantee shall target high-risk women aged 40 years and older 
who are members of at least one racial and ethnic minority population; 
however, all high-risk women shall be eligible to participate in the 
program, regardless of race, religion, or age.
B. Phase I: Program Planning, Development, and Recruitment
i. Post-Award Orientation
    The grantee shall send two or three representatives to a two-day 
post-award orientation meeting in Washington, DC. This meeting shall 
occur within 2 months of grant award. The project manager of the 
program and a representative who holds a leadership position in the 
national faith-based or national community organization must attend the 
meeting. Travel funds for this meeting must come out of the total award 
funding and should be included in the applicant's cost proposal.
    The purpose of the post-award orientation meeting will be to 
clarify tasks and requirements and answer any questions that grantees 
may have. Grantees shall also share their program plans, approaches, 
and best practices with each other through presentations and round 
table discussions.
ii. Curriculum Development
    A multi-disciplinary planning committee shall be formed consisting 
of representatives from the national faith-based or national community 
organization, health care professionals and counselors, and high-risk 
women in the community. The grantee will consult with the planning 
committee to design eight educational sessions that shall counsel women 
on all of the major risk factors for CVD (smoking, Type 2 diabetes, 
hypertension, cholesterol, obesity, and physical inactivity), ways to 
modify risk, and the benefits associated with risk modification. The 
prevention of stress and the signs/symptoms of heart attack and stroke 
in women shall also be addressed. The format of the health sessions 
will be specified in subsequent sections of this funding opportunity 
description.
    Existing curriculum from successfully tested and evaluated CVD 
clinical prevention intervention programs should be obtained and 
adapted for this program. The OWH and ORWH/NIH will not provide the 
grantee with curriculum. The curriculum and group counseling session 
materials must be both culturally competent and women-centered (see 
section VIII.2 for definitions).
iii. Site Leaders and Site Leader Training
    One site leader from each of the 10 sites will be designated to 
promote, coordinate, and facilitate the clinical prevention program at 
his/her particular site. This person will be a faith-based or community 
leader or a health professional affiliated with the site. Each site 
shall be given a stipend for their involvement; this stipend shall 
include compensation for the site leader. The stipend will not exceed 
$5,000 per site.
    All site leaders shall be required to attend a one-day training 
course, developed and administered by the grantee. This course must 
take place in one location and site leaders must attend in person. The 
training course will introduce site leaders to the goals, structure, 
and subject matter of the program. The training session will also equip 
site leaders with the materials, strategies, and resources necessary to 
implement the program at their sites. Upon completion of training, each 
site leader will receive a training certificate.

[[Page 32540]]

After receiving training, site leaders will coordinate and host all 
group counseling sessions and maintenance sessions at their specific 
sites.
iv. Recruitment and Retention
    Each site leader will be responsible for promoting the prevention 
program and clinical speakers and participants at her site. Each site 
shall aim to recruit an average of 20 to 50 participants. High-risk 
racial and ethnic minority women aged 40 years and older shall be 
targeted; however, all high-risk women shall be eligible to participate 
in the program, regardless of race, religion, or age. All participants 
must read and sign a written consent form before starting the program. 
The grantee shall prepare the draft consent form in lay-language and 
the multi-disciplinary planning committee must review and approve this 
form. The grantee shall also obtain appropriate institutional IRB 
approval, if applicable. The grantee will also create postcard 
reminders (or e-mail reminders if participants have easy access to the 
Internet) for each group counseling session and maintenance session. 
Each site leader will mail or e-mail the reminders to each participant. 
The site leader will also make reminder phone calls as necessary.
    All counseling sessions and maintenance sessions shall be focused 
on mutual support for participants in their efforts to reduce the risk 
associated with increased weight and physical inactivity. Site leaders 
will obtain and distribute incentives for attendance (e.g., door 
prizes) and incentives to motivate participants to modify risk factors 
during the course of the program. Prizes will be offered to the 
participants who achieve their individualized risk modification goals 
for each session. Positive reinforcement and open communication as well 
as a healthy sense of competition must be encouraged. Incentives and 
prizes may be solicited as donations from private sources.
v. Resource Establishment
    The grantee must assist site leaders in compiling a local directory 
of cardiovascular resources (cardiologists, dieticians, Type 2 diabetes 
experts, weight loss and exercise programs, public health screening and 
diagnosis information) available in the community of each site, 
including health care alternatives for the uninsured and under insured 
women. The grantee shall establish a national Web site or enhance an 
existing organization's Web site to provide cardiovascular support and 
information online. These Web sites shall be linked to the OWH's For 
Your Heart Web site at https://www.4women.gov/hhs and the National 
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Heart Truth Campaign Web site https://
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/.
    The grantee shall publish a print and/or Web-based newsletter to 
promote the program, provide additional cardiovascular disease 
information, and highlight progress made by individual sites and 
participants. The newsletter will be distributed to all 10 sites on a 
monthly basis.
C. Phase II: Group Counseling Sessions
i. Overview
    Each faith-based or community-based site will host eight bi-weekly 
group counseling sessions over a period of four months. The sessions 
can be physically located at the faith-based or community-based site or 
at any other appropriate clinical facility in the community. These 
sessions shall address the six major risk factors for CVD (smoking, 
Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, obesity, and physical 
inactivity), ways to modify risk, and the benefits associated with risk 
modification. The prevention of stress and the signs/symptoms of heart 
attack and stroke in women shall also be addressed during at least one 
of the eight group counseling sessions. Sessions may include medical 
screening, clinical lectures, health demonstrations, video 
presentations, activities, etc. Each session must also incorporate some 
form of low to moderate physical activity (such as walking, yoga, or 
aerobics). Participants shall be encouraged and organized to meet in 
groups at least once a week to engage in some form of physical 
activity.
    Additionally, each session shall include a small group counseling 
discussion component that will focus on encouraging participants to 
incorporate weight control strategies and physical activity into their 
daily lives. Participants shall be divided into small counseling groups 
according to criteria chosen by the grantee. These criteria may be 
based on Prochaska's Stages of Change model (1), demographics, risk 
factor profiles, etc. During the group discussion component, 
participants should discuss self-monitoring efforts and establish risk 
modification goals. The grantee will consult and utilize qualified 
cardiologists, endocrinologists, nurses, dieticians, physical exercise 
and other health professionals in the development and implementation of 
the curriculum and small group discussions.
ii. Group Counseling Sessions--Session 1: Screening and 
Program Introduction
    During the first group counseling session, screening for all six 
major CVD risk factors shall be conducted for each participant (weight 
measurements should be kept confidential) to establish baseline 
measurements. (Note: Fasting blood tests must be used to screen for 
cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes.) The grantee may solicit local health 
care organizations, drug stores, and/or other private sources to donate 
or loan screening equipment, giving proper acknowledgment for their 
assistance. Additionally, health professionals who volunteer to present 
at counseling sessions can be asked to bring equipment with them and 
help conduct the screenings. Alternatively, grantees may use grant 
funds to purchase screening equipment and supplies.
    The importance of weight control and physical activity will be 
introduced and emphasized as the primary goal of the program. Daily 
weight and physical activity self-monitoring materials (diaries, logs, 
etc.) will be distributed and explained. The site leader should also 
discuss the reward system for reaching risk modification goals. 
Moreover, the first session should include a basic orientation on how 
to use the Internet. The orientation shall include instruction on how 
participants who do not own computers can access computers that are 
available for public use. The format of the orientation may include a 
hands-on demonstration, pictorial diagrams, and/or written instruction. 
This award shall not pay for computers.
    During the first counseling session, each participant shall also be 
administered a test to determine baseline knowledge of CVD and its risk 
factors. Additionally, each participant shall assess her own personal 
CVD risk profile and Stage of Change (1) for the six major CVD risk 
factors. One tool that can be used to assess a woman's Stage of Change 
for each major CVD risk factor can be found on the DHHS/OWH's For Your 
Heart Web site at https://www.4women.gov/hhs. Information from this Web 
site can also be incorporated into the curriculum for subsequent 
sessions.
iii. Group Counseling Sessions 2-7: Risk Factors
    After the first introductory group counseling session, the 
following six group counseling sessions will be devoted to counseling 
participants about one CVD risk factor, so that all six of the major 
risk factors' smoking, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol,

[[Page 32541]]

obesity, and physical inactivity are covered. In addition, key lessons 
learned at previous sessions will be reviewed at each of the following 
sessions to reinforce risk factor knowledge.
iv. Group Counseling Session 8: Screening and Wrap-up
    During the eighth and final group counseling session, participants 
shall be screened again for all six major CVD risk factors and each 
participant shall assess her own personal CVD risk profile and Stage of 
Change. Each participant shall also be administered an intake form to 
determine knowledge of CVD and its risk factors. Additionally, 
participants shall be asked to provide feedback regarding their 
experience in the program and evaluate the program. Responses will be 
used to aid participants in designing the maintenance phase of the 
program. Participants will also decide on a plan of action for follow-
up maintenance sessions.
D. Phase III--Maintenance Sessions
    The maintenance sessions will take place over a period of three 
months directly following the group counseling sessions (Phase II). 
With the aid of the site leader, participants shall decide on the 
number, frequency, and format of the maintenance sessions. These 
sessions may include any or all of the following: Additional group 
counseling seminars, screenings, testimonials, personal counseling, 
field trips (e.g., trips to fitness centers or trips to grocery stores 
and restaurants to practice selecting healthy foods), etc. However, 
each session must include a physical activity and a small group 
discussion component. In addition, participants shall be encouraged and 
organized to meet in smaller groups at least once a week to engage in 
some form of physical activity.
    At each site, the format of each maintenance session should be 
clearly outlined and documented by the site leader (what type of 
activity, duration of activity, material covered, location etc.). 
During the last maintenance session, participants will be screened 
again for all six major CVD risk factors and each participant shall 
assess her own personal CVD risk profile and Stage of Change. Each 
participant shall also be administered a test to determine knowledge of 
CVD and its risk factors. Additionally, participants shall be asked to 
give feedback and evaluate the program.
E. Phase IV--Program Evaluation/Write-up
    Screening, knowledge, Stage of Change (1), and personal health risk 
profile data shall be obtained from three assessment points the first 
(baseline) and last group counseling session and the last maintenance 
session. (Note: Fasting blood tests must be used to screen for 
cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes during these three assessment points.) 
Data shall also be obtained from self-monitoring materials and from 
feedback and evaluation forms. Grantees may choose to use any 
appropriate assessment tools, survey instruments, self-monitoring and 
evaluation materials to collect data. All data collection materials 
must be reviewed and approved by the multi-disciplinary planning 
committee. In addition, grantees shall be required to include a core 
set of screening and evaluation items that will be prescribed by the 
OWH. These items will be determined during and after the post-award 
orientation meeting and will most likely consist of items developed by 
one or more of the grantees.
    The grantee shall design one centralized database, collect all 
participant data from the site leaders, and enter data into the 
database. This data shall be kept confidential through use of unique 
identifying numbers. Baseline and follow-up data must be analyzed to 
quantitatively evaluate the program's effectiveness at two different 
intervals--after the end of the group counseling sessions and after the 
end of the maintenance sessions. The program evaluation must be able to 
demonstrate, at minimum, the following desired program outcomes:
    Primary Outcome Measures:
    1. Increase the proportion of participants who are aware that heart 
disease is the 1 killer of women.
    2. Increase the proportion of participants who are aware of the 
early warning symptoms and signs of a heart attack and the importance 
of accessing rapid emergency care by calling 911.
    3. Increase the proportion of participants who know the major risk 
factors for CVD and how to modify those risk factors.
    4. Increase the participant's knowledge of CVD resources in the 
community.
    5. Decrease the proportion of participants who are obese.
    6. Decrease the proportion of participants who are overweight.
    7. Increase the proportion of participants who engage regularly in 
moderate physical activity (outside of program sessions).
    8. For each CVD clinical risk factor, move 50% of participants up 
at least one Stage of Change (1).
    Secondary Outcome Measures:
    1. Decrease the proportion of participants who smoke.
    2. Increase the proportion of participants with Type 2 diabetes at 
baseline whose Type 2 diabetes is under control.
    3. Increase the proportion of participants with high blood pressure 
at baseline whose blood pressure is under control.
    4. Decrease the proportion of participants with high total blood 
cholesterol.
    The evaluation should also address the following questions:
    1. Did participants evaluate the program favorably?
    2. Did the program meet the needs and expectations of the 
participants?
    3. What changes do the participants suggest?
    Emphasis should be placed on aligning program outcomes and targets 
with the objectives and targets of Healthy People 2010. More 
information on the Healthy People 2010 objectives may be found at 
https://www.health.gov/healthypeople. Each grantee should also take into 
account the baseline characteristics of the potential program 
participants when setting outcome targets.
    The Time Chart below summaries each phase of the CVD program.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Duration
             Phases                     Activity                        Description                    (months)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CVD Program........  National Faith-Based and National-Community            18
                                                        Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Programs
                                                        for High-Risk Women (CVD).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 32542]]

 
Phase I.........................  Program Planning &   Orientation Session, Program Development,             1-8
                                   Recruitment.         Formation of a Multi-disciplinary Planning
                                                        Committee.
                                                       Selection of Site Leaders, Site Leader
                                                        Training, Recruitment and Retention..
                                                       Resource Establishment, Develop DataBase....
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phase II........................  Group Counseling     Host eight group counseling sessions:
                                   Sessions.           Group Counseling Session No. 1--Screening            9-12
                                                        and Program Introduction. CVD Pre-knowledge
                                                        test administered to all program
                                                        participants. Group Counseling Session Nos.
                                                        2-7--CVD Risk Factors discussion. Group
                                                        Counseling Session No. 8--Participants
                                                        screened again for all six CVD risk
                                                        factors. Participants will assess their own
                                                        personal CVD risk profile and Stage of
                                                        Change, Post CVD knowledge test
                                                        administered to all participants.
                                                        Participants prepare an evaluation of the
                                                        program.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phase III.......................  Maintenance          Site leaders will assist participants to            13-15
                                   Sessions.            design a format for maintenance sessions.
                                                       Screening of all participants for all six            (six
                                                        CVD risk factors.                             sessions.)
                                                       Assessment of risk profile and Stage of
                                                        Change..
                                                       CVD post knowledge test administered.
                                                        Program Evaluation completed..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phase IV........................  Program Evaluation   Data entered into centralized database......        16-18
                                   and Write-Up.       Data analyzed to evaluate the program's
                                                        effectiveness..
                                                       Incorporate mutually agreed upon edits from
                                                        the DHHS/OWH into final copy. Submit second
                                                        financial status report as an appendix to
                                                        the final report.
                                                       Participate in a committee with other
                                                        grantees and DHHS/OWH staff to prepare a
                                                        joint manuscript..
                                                       Prepare a draft of the final report.........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    OWH shall site visit at least 4 sites per grantee during Phases II 
and/or Phase III. The grantee shall participate in monthly conference 
calls with the OWH and other grantees. The grantee shall also host a 
separate monthly conference call with all site leaders and make 
additional contact with individual sites as necessary via e-mail and 
phone calls. The grantee shall prepare a progress report that outlines 
the status and progression of the project every 3 months (there will be 
a total of 5 progress reports). The grantee shall prepare a final 
report that describes the results from the program evaluation and all 
project activities for the entire 18-month period of the program. OWH 
shall provide an outline of the final report format and templates for 
required tables. A draft of the final report must be submitted 
electronically and in hard copy format six weeks prior to the end date 
of the award. OWH will review the draft. Suggested revisions will be 
discussed individually during a conference call with each grantee. The 
mutually agreed upon revisions must be incorporated into the final 
report by the end date of the award.
    Finally, the grantee shall assign one authorized staff member to 
participate in a committee with other grantees and OWH to prepare a 
joint manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. 
This manuscript shall combine and summarize data from all programs into 
one final evaluation.

II. Award Information

    Under this announcement, OWH and ORWH/NIH anticipate making, 
through the cooperative agreement grant mechanism, one or two new 18-
month awards by October 4, 2006. Approximately $500,000 in FY 2006 
funds is available to make awards up to $100,000 total cost (direct and 
indirect) for an 18-month period. The actual number of awards made will 
depend upon the quality of the applications received and amount of 
funds available for the program. The government is not obligated to 
make any awards as a result of this announcement.
    Under this cooperative agreement, the duties of the grantee and the 
Federal Government are described below. The OWH will provide the 
technical assistance and oversight necessary for the implementation, 
conduct, and assessment of program activities. This program will be a 
model; as such, the Federal Government may replicate the clinical 
prevention program and/or use the intervention materials both during 
and after the period of performance. The grantee may copyright any work 
that is developed, or for which ownership was purchased, under the 
award, but DHHS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable 
right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Federal 
purposes, and to authorize others to do so. In addition, the grantee 
and the national faith-based or community partner are encouraged to 
sustain the program after the end of award and expand it to other sites 
within its network.
    The grantee shall complete the requirements described in the 
Funding Opportunity Description. Specifically, the grantee will:
     Submit a work plan, task outline, and schedule of 
activities within one month of award.
     Attend a two-day post-award orientation meeting in 
Washington, DC within two months of grant award. (Travel funds for this 
meeting must come out of the total award funding and should be included 
in the applicant's budget justification.)
     Participate in monthly conference calls with the OWH and 
other grantees.
     Host a monthly conference call with all site leaders and 
make additional contact with individual sites as necessary via e-mail 
and phone calls.
     Prepare and submit progress reports that outline the 
status and progression of the program every 3 months.
     Form a multi-disciplinary planning committee consisting of 
representatives from the national faith-based and/or national community 
organization, health care professionals and counselors, and high-risk 
women in the community.
     Select 10 faith-based or community-based sites in both 
urban and rural areas throughout the United States that are willing to 
participate in the program, and sign an MOU with each site.
     Select site leaders at each site.
     Establish and promote a national Web site or enhance an 
existing

[[Page 32543]]

organization's Web site to provide cardiovascular support and 
information online.
     Consult with the planning committee to develop eight group 
counseling sessions that address all of the major risk factors for 
coronary heart disease and stroke. Curriculum should be adapted from 
existing models of CVD prevention intervention curriculum that have 
been successfully tested and evaluated.
     Prepare or obtain group counseling session materials for 
the eight group counseling sessions (e.g., instructional manual, 
educational sessions and/or exercise videos, booklets, etc.).
     Develop small group discussion format for each session 
focusing on encouraging participants to incorporate weight control 
strategies and physical activity into their daily lives.
     Develop instructional manual for the physical activity 
component of each educational session and maintenance session.
     Develop self-monitoring risk modification materials (logs, 
diaries, etc.) that are user-friendly and allow participants to track 
regular physical activity and weight control behaviors.
     Develop pre- and post-evaluation materials and survey 
instruments (e.g., knowledge tests, screening data collection forms, 
risk factor profile assessment tools, and qualitative feedback forms).
     Prepare a draft consent form in lay-language, obtain 
appropriate institutional IRB approval, if applicable, and obtain 
consent from all program participants.
     Develop program promotional materials (e.g., flyers, 
pamphlets, etc.).
     Develop postcard or e-mail reminders for each counseling 
session and maintenance session.
     Design one-day site leader training course.
     Develop materials for one-day site leader training course 
(training manual, certificates, etc.).
     Transport site leaders to the training session and execute 
training session.
     Reproduce all group counseling sessions, self-monitoring, 
and evaluation materials and deliver copies to each site leader.
     Reproduce reminder postcards/e-mails, consent document and 
promotional materials and deliver to each site leader.
     Design a print and/or web-based newsletter.
     Distribute newsletter to each site on a monthly basis.
     Assist site leaders in compiling a local directory of 
cardiovascular resources available in the community for each site.
     Assist site leaders in scheduling counseling sessions at 
each site.
     Assist site leaders in obtaining medical screening 
equipment, obtain clinical personnel, and participation incentives.
     Assist site leaders in coordinating medical screenings and 
administering evaluation materials.
     Assist site leaders in obtaining clinical speakers for the 
sessions (e.g., nurses, physicians and other health care professionals) 
and conducting Web site training.
     Assist site leaders with resources necessary to support 
the format of the maintenance sessions chosen by the participants.
     Collect all participant data using standard data 
collection forms.
     Enter all data obtained from each site into centralized 
database using unique identifiers for each participant.
     Analyze data using appropriate statistical software and 
submit a draft of the FINAL REPORT six weeks prior to the end date of 
the grant award.
     Incorporate mutually agreed upon edits from the OWH into 
FINAL REPORT by the end date of the award.
     Assign one staff member to participate in a committee with 
other grantees and OWH and prepare a joint manuscript suitable for 
publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
     Adhere to all program requirements specified in this 
announcement and the Notice of Grant Award.
     Submit two Financial Status Reports. Financial Status 
Report number one is to be submitted to the Project Officer on the 
first anniversary date of the grant award. Financial Status Report 
number two is to be submitted to the Project Officer as an appendix to 
the final grant report.
     Adhere to the guidelines under the American with 
Disabilities Act when planning and implementing seminars. Specifics 
will be discussed during the one-day course.
    The Federal Government will:
     Review and approve work plan, task outline, and schedule 
of activities.
     Review quarterly progress reports.
     Conduct the monthly conference calls with grantees.
     Conduct the two-day post-award orientation meeting in 
Washington, DC within two months of award.
     Review and approve list of 10 faith-based and/or community 
sites and the MOUs with each site.
     Site visit at least 4 sites per program during Phases II 
and/or Phase III.
     Review, suggest names, and approve membership of the 
multi-disciplinary planning committee.
     Review and approve all group counseling sessions and 
instructional materials for the eight group counseling sessions.
     Provide the grantee with government group counseling 
sessions' materials on CVD, such as The Heart Truth for Women: A 
Speaker's Kit, The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women (22), etc.
     Provide all site leaders with guidelines for the Americans 
with Disabilities Act and ensure that those guidelines are followed 
during the planning and implementation of the CVD program.
     Review and approve materials for the one-day leader 
training course; and,
     Review self-monitoring materials, evaluation materials and 
survey instruments that must be used by each grantee (core set of 
screening and evaluation items).
     Review and approve informed consent document and program 
promotional materials to ensure adherence to DHHS policies.
     Review the design and content of program Web site(s).
     Review and provide information for newsletters.
     Provide an outline of the final report format and 
templates for required tables.
     Review draft of the final report and provide comments and 
edits to be incorporated into the final document.
     Participate in a committee with grantees to prepare a 
joint manuscript suitable for a peer-reviewed journal and secure 
appropriate government publication clearance.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    These awards focus on President Bush's agenda to broaden Federal 
efforts to work with faith-based and community organizations. As such, 
each applicant must either: (1) Be a national faith-based or national 
community organization that has a network of at least 10 sites across 
the Continental United States and its territories with large 
populations of high-risk racial and ethnic minority women, aged 40 
years and older, or (2) partner with a national faith-based or national 
community organization that has a network of at least 10 sites across 
the United States with large populations of high-risk racial and ethnic 
minority women, aged 40 years and older. If a partnership is 
established, the applicant and the national faith-based or national 
community organization must sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
that describes the partnership, including

[[Page 32544]]

the expectations and duties of each partner. This MOU must be included 
in the application. If the document is not provided, the application 
may not be considered. Please see section VIII.2 for a definition of 
partnership, national faith-based organization, and national community 
organization. For more information on the Administration s Faith-Based 
and Community Initiatives please see the following Web site: https://
www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/.
    Non-profit and for-profit organizations that meet the above 
criteria are eligible to apply. Faith-based organizations, community-
based organizations, tribal entities, educational institutions, 
community health centers, and government entities that meet the above 
criteria are also eligible and encouraged to apply.
    Any organization currently receiving funding or support from the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) WISEWOMAN program is 
not eligible to apply to this grant announcement. These organizations 
have been deemed ineligible to prevent the overlapping of the OWH and 
the CDC's cardiovascular disease prevention programs and the possible 
contamination of current WISEWOMAN program results.
    If funding is requested in an amount greater than the ceiling of 
the award range ($100,000 total cost for an 18-month period), the 
application will be considered non-responsive and will not be entered 
into the review process. The application will be returned with 
notification that it did not meet the submission requirements. 
Applications that are not complete or do not conform to or address the 
criteria of this announcement will be considered non-responsive and 
will not be entered into the review process. The application will be 
returned with notification that it did not meet the submission 
requirements. An organization may submit no more than one proposal for 
the program announced in this notice of funding availability. 
Organizations submitting more than one proposal will be deemed 
ineligible. The proposal will be returned without comment.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    Cost sharing and matching funds are not a requirement of this 
grant; however applicants may solicit private sources for donations 
and/or loans of screening equipment, screening personnel, and 
participation incentives.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package

    Application kits may be requested by calling (240) 453-8822 or 
writing to: OPHS Office of Grants Management, 1101 Wootton Parkway, 
Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852. Requests may also be submitted by fax 
at (240) 453-8823. Application kits are also available online through 
the OPHS electronic grants management Web site at https://
egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov and Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

A. Letter of Intent
    A Letter of Intent (LOI) is encouraged from all potential 
applicants for the purpose of planning the competitive review process. 
The LOI should be no more than one page, double-spaced, printed on one 
side, with one-inch margins, and 12-point font. LOIs should include the 
following information: (1) Program announcement title and number; (2) 
name of the applicant agency or organization, the official contact 
person and that person's telephone number, fax number, and mailing and 
e-mail addresses (3) name and address of the partnering national faith-
based or national community organization if the applicant is not a 
national faith-based or national community organization. Do not include 
a description of your proposed project.
B. Application
    Applications must be submitted using the Form OPHS-1 (Revised 8/04) 
and in the manner prescribed in the application kit. Applicants are 
required to submit an original ink-signed and dated application and 2 
photocopies. The application should be organized in accordance with the 
format presented in the Program Guidelines. The original and each copy 
must be stapled and/or otherwise securely bound. All pages must be 
numbered clearly and sequentially. The application must be typed on 
plain 8\1/2\'' x 11'' white paper, using a 12 point font, and contain 
1'' margins all around. The Project Narrative, excluding the 
appendices, is limited to a total of 50 pages, the fronts and backs of 
10 pieces of paper. The first 50 pages of the proposal will be 
considered; any pages exceeding this length will be removed from the 
proposal and will not be evaluated. Staff resumes, letters of support, 
memorandums of understanding (MOUs), budget justifications, samples of 
existing curriculum, samples of survey instruments and data collection 
forms, and research results and references may be included as part of 
an appendix and will not count toward the 50 pages limit. The 
application must also include a detailed budget justification, 
including a narrative and computation of expenditures for one year. The 
budget justification does not count toward the 50 pages limit.
    An outline for the minimum information to be included in the 
``Project Narrative'' section is presented below.
i. Program Plan
    The applicant must describe, in detail, its approach for 
accomplishing each of the requirements identified in the funding 
opportunity description. The program plan must reference each 
requirement, and the material should be presented in the order in which 
it appears in the funding opportunity description. The applicant should 
demonstrate a full understanding of the need for the program, 
anticipating, prioritizing, and presenting likely components that will 
achieve overall goals and desired outcomes. The applicant should also 
identify potential problems and intended solutions. The applicant is 
free to recommend and describe other procedures that it believes will 
more effectively achieve the stated objectives, but needs to carefully 
relate alternatives and rationales to the approach recommended in the 
funding opportunity description.
    The proposal should include curriculum outlines and sample agendas 
for one or more of the group counseling sessions described in the 
funding opportunity description. The applicant must provide a detailed 
description of the existing curriculum that will be adapted and used 
for the group counseling sessions. In addition, samples of the existing 
curriculum and results from any pilot or demonstration projects that 
used the curriculum should be provided. These samples and results may 
be included as part of the appendices.
    The proposal should describe the criteria for selecting sites and 
provide a potential list of sites or locations of sites. The proposal 
should describe its plan for maintaining contact with each site on a 
regular basis. The proposal should also include letters of support from 
each site selected, if possible. Letters of support may be included as 
part of the appendices.

[[Page 32545]]

C. Experience and Commitment of Key Personnel
    The applicant must identify key personnel involved in the project 
based on the requirements described in funding opportunity description 
and other personnel adequate to support the administrative, logistical, 
financial, and scientific coordination aspects of the project within 
the time limits of the grant. The applicant must provide information on 
which task(s) each of the key personnel will perform and the rationale 
for that assignment. Resumes for all proposed personnel must be 
submitted with the application in the appendices.
D. Management Plan
    The applicant should develop and propose a Management Plan. This 
plan includes a program schedule that lays out tasks and a time-line 
and identifies significant milestones for the accomplishment of the 
project. Specific staff responsibilities must be detailed in this 
schedule along with the number of hours that each person will devote to 
each task. The plan must provide, at a minimum, details pertaining to 
the four program phases (Phase I: Program Planning, Development, and 
Recruitment; Phase II: Group Counseling Sessions; Phase III: 
Maintenance Sessions; Phase IV: Program Evaluation/Write-Up) as they 
are outlined in the funding opportunity description.
E. Past Performance
    Each applicant should describe its organization's relevant 
experience and success in managing this type of project. The applicant 
should also include a description of itself, the experience of its 
support personnel, and information about grantees, partners, and 
quality of cooperation between organization, staff, key personnel, and 
clients. Specific descriptions of relevant previous experience that the 
organization has performed within the past five years must be included. 
Include period of performance, dollar amount, name of program sponsor, 
and a letter of support from at least three different program sponsors. 
Letters of support may be included as part of the appendices.
    Relevant previous experience may include, but is not limited to, 
the development of: Comprehensive interventions or group counseling 
sessions programs aimed at improving the health of women and/or men, 
health behavior modification programs, programs delivered in faith-
based or community settings, cardiovascular disease prevention and risk 
modification programs, and previous collaborations with a national 
faith-based or national community organization.
F. Appendices
    Include documentation and other supporting information in this 
section, including staff resumes, letters of support, memorandums of 
understanding (MOUs), samples of existing curriculum, samples of survey 
instruments and data collection forms, and research results and 
references. If the applicant is not a national faith-based or national 
community organization, an MOU between the applicant and a national 
faith-based or national community organization confirming that a 
partnership has been established must be included in the appendices. 
The applicant should also include an MOU between the applicant and any 
other organization or entity with which it intends to collaborate/
partner.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    The LOI must be received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management by 
5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date specified in the DATES section 
of the announcement. If an applicant does not submit an LOI by the 
established due date and time, the application will not be eligible for 
the review process. Submit the LOI to: OPHS Office of Grants 
Management, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852.
Submission Mechanisms
    The OPHS provides multiple mechanisms for the submission of 
applications, as described in the following sections. Applicants will 
receive notification via mail from the OPHS Office of Grants Management 
confirming the receipt of applications submitted using any of these 
mechanisms. Applications submitted to the OPHS Office of Grants 
Management after the deadlines described below will not be accepted for 
review. Applications which do not conform to the requirements of the 
grant announcement will not be accepted for review and will be returned 
to the applicant.
    Applications may only be submitted electronically via the 
electronic submission mechanisms specified below. Any applications 
submitted via any other means of electronic communication, including 
facsimile or electronic mail, will not be accepted for review. While 
applications are accepted in hard copy, the use of the electronic 
application submission capabilities provided by the OPHS eGrants system 
or the Grants.gov Web site Portal is encouraged.
    Electronic grant application submissions must be submitted no later 
than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date specified in the DATES 
section of the announcement using one of the electronic submission 
mechanisms specified below. All required hardcopy original signatures 
and mail-in items must be received by the OPHS Office of Grants 
Management no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next business day 
after the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the 
announcement.
    Applications will not be considered valid until all electronic 
application components, hard copy original signatures, and mail-in 
items are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management according to 
the deadlines specified above. Application submissions that do not 
adhere to the due date requirements will be considered late and will be 
deemed ineligible.
    Applicants are encouraged to initiate electronic applications early 
in the application development process, and to submit early on the due 
date or before. This will aid in addressing any problems with 
submissions prior to the application deadline.
Electronic Submissions via the Grants.gov Web Site Portal
    The Grants.gov Web site Portal provides organizations with the 
ability to submit applications for OPHS grant opportunities. 
Organizations must successfully complete the necessary registration 
processes in order to submit an application. Information about this 
system is available on the Grants.gov Web site, https://www.grants.gov.
    In addition to electronically submitted materials, applicants may 
be required to submit hard copy signatures for certain program related 
forms, or original materials as required by the announcement. It is 
imperative that the applicant review both the grant announcement, as 
well as the application guidance provided within the Grants.gov 
application package, to determine such requirements. Any required hard 
copy materials, or documents that require a signature, must be 
submitted separately via mail to the OPHS Office of Grants Management, 
and, if required, must contain the original signature of an individual 
authorized to act for the applicant agency and the obligations imposed 
by the terms and conditions of the grant award.
    Electronic applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site 
Portal must

[[Page 32546]]

contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the 
Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or exhibits. All 
required mail-in items must received by the due date requirements 
specified above. Mail-In items may only include publications, resumes, 
or organizational documentation.
    Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission 
via the Grants.gov Web site Portal, the applicant will be provided with 
a confirmation page from Grants.gov indicating the date and time 
(Eastern Time) of the electronic application submission, as well as the 
Grants.gov Receipt Number. It is critical that the applicant print and 
retain this confirmation for their records, as well as a copy of the 
entire application package.
    All applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site Portal will 
be validated by Grants.gov. Any applications deemed ``Invalid'' by the 
Grants.gov Web site Portal will not be transferred to the OPHS eGrants 
system, and OPHS has no responsibility for any application that is not 
validated and transferred to OPHS from the Grants.gov Web site Portal. 
Grants.gov will notify the applicant regarding the application 
validation status. Once the application is successfully validated by 
the Grants.gov Web site Portal, applicants should immediately mail all 
required hard copy materials to the OPHS Office of Grants Management to 
be received by the deadlines specified above. It is critical that the 
applicant clearly identify the organization name and Grants.gov 
Application Receipt Number on all hard copy materials.
    Once the application is validated by Grants.gov, it will be 
electronically transferred to the OPHS eGrants system for processing. 
Upon receipt of both the electronic application from the Grants.gov Web 
site Portal, and the required hardcopy mail-in items, applicants will 
receive notification via mail from the OPHS Office of Grants Management 
confirming the receipt of the application submitted using the 
Grants.gov Web site Portal.
    Applicants should contact Grants.gov regarding any questions or 
concerns regarding the electronic application process conducted through 
the Grants.gov Web site Portal.
Electronic Submissions via the OPHS eGrants System
    The OPHS electronic grants management system, eGrants, provides for 
applications to be submitted electronically. Information about this 
system is available on the OPHS eGrants Web site, https://
egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov, or may be requested from the OPHS Office of 
Grants Management at (240) 453-8822.
    When submitting applications via the OPHS eGrants system, 
applicants are required to submit a hard copy of the application face 
page (Standard Form 424) with the original signature of an individual 
authorized to act for the applicant agency and assume the obligations 
imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. If required, 
applicants will also need to submit a hard copy of the Standard Form 
LLL and/or certain Program related forms (e.g., Program Certifications) 
with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the 
applicant agency.
    Electronic applications submitted via the OPHS eGrants system must 
contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the 
Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or exhibits. The 
applicant may identify specific mail-in items to be sent to the Office 
of Grants Management separate from the electronic submission; however 
these mail-in items must be entered on the eGrants Application 
Checklist at the time of electronic submission, and must be received by 
the due date requirements specified above. Mail-In items may only 
include publications, resumes, or organizational documentation.
    Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission, 
the OPHS eGrants system will provide the applicant with a confirmation 
page indicating the date and time (Eastern Time) of the electronic 
application submission. This confirmation page will also provide a 
listing of all items that constitute the final application submission 
including all electronic application components, required hardcopy 
original signatures, and mail-in items, as well as the mailing address 
of the OPHS Office of Grants Management where all required hard copy 
materials must be submitted.
    As items are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management, the 
electronic application status will be updated to reflect the receipt of 
mail-in items. It is recommended that the applicant monitor the status 
of their application in the OPHS eGrants system to ensure that all 
signatures and mail-in items are received.
Mailed or Hand-Delivered Hard Copy Applications
    Applicants who submit applications in hard copy (via mail or hand-
delivered) are required to submit an original and two copies of the 
application. The original application must be signed by an individual 
authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization and to 
assume for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms and 
conditions of the grant award.
    Mailed or hand-delivered applications will be considered as meeting 
the deadline if they are received by the OPHS Office of Grant 
Management on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date 
specified in the DATES section of the announcement. The application 
deadline date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the 
instructions in the OPHS-1. Applications that do not meet the deadline 
will be returned to the applicant unread.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to the Public Health Systems Reporting 
Requirements. Under these requirements, community-based and faith-
based, non-governmental applicants must prepare and submit a Public 
Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS). Applicants shall submit a copy 
of the application face page (SF-424) and a one-page summary of the 
project, called the Public Health System Impact Statement. The PHSIS is 
intended to provide information to State and local health officials to 
keep them apprised of proposed health services grant applications 
submitted by community-based or faith-based, non-governmental 
organizations within their jurisdictions.
    Community-based and faith-based, non-governmental applicants are 
required to submit, no later than the Federal due date for receipt of 
the application, the following information to the head of the 
appropriate state and local health agencies in the area(s) to be 
impacted: (a) A copy of the face page of the application (SF 424), (b) 
a summary of the project (PHSIS), not to exceed one page, which 
provides: (1) A description of the population to be served, (2) a 
summary of the services to be provided, and (3) a description of the 
coordination planned with the appropriate state or local health 
agencies. Copies of the letters forwarding the PHSIS to these 
authorities must be contained in the application materials submitted to 
the OWH.
    This program is also subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 that allows States the option of setting up a system for 
reviewing applications from within their States for assistance under 
certain Federal programs. The application kit to be made available 
under this notice will contain a listing of States that have chosen to 
set up a review system and will include a State

[[Page 32547]]

Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in the State for review. Applicants 
(other than federally recognized Indian tribes) should contact their 
SPOCs as early as possible to alert them to the prospective 
applications and receive any necessary instructions on the State 
process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the 
applicant is advised to contact the SPOC in each affected State. A 
complete list of SPOCs may be found at the following Web site: https://
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. The due date for State process 
recommendations is 60 days after the application deadline. The OWH does 
not guarantee that it will accommodate or explain its responses to 
State process recommendations received after that date. (See 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs'', Executive Order 
12372, and 45 CFR part 100 for a description of the review process and 
requirements.)

5. Funding Restrictions

    Grant funds may be used to cover costs of:
     Personnel.
     Consultants.
     Office supplies and software.
     Group counseling sessions, promotional and evaluation 
materials.
     Screening supplies and equipment.
     Grant related travel (domestic only).
     Other grant related costs.
    Grant funds may not be used for:
     Building alterations or renovations.
     Computers.
     Construction.
     Food.
     Fund raising activities.
     Medical treatment or therapy.
     Political education and lobbying.
     Other activities that are not grant related.
    Guidance for completing the budget can be found in the Program 
Guidelines, which are included with the complete application kits. The 
allowability, allocability, reasonableness and necessity of direct and 
indirect costs that may be charged to OPHS grants are outlined in the 
following documents: OMB Circular A-21 (Institutions of Higher 
Counseling); OMB Circular A-87 (State and Local Governments); OMB 
Circular A-122 (Nonprofit Organizations); and 45 CFR part 74, Appendix 
E (Hospitals). Copies of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circulars are available on the Internet at https://www.whitehouse.gov/
omb/grants/grants_circulars.html. In order to claim indirect costs as 
part of a budget request, an applicant organization must have an 
indirect cost rate, which has been negotiated with the Federal 
government. The Health and Human Services Division of Cost Allocation 
(DCA) Regional Office that is applicable to your State can provide 
information on how to receive such a rate. A list of DCA Regional 
Offices is included in the application kit for this announcement. 
Guidance for completing the budget can be found in the Program 
Guidelines, which are included with the complete application kits.

6. Other Submission Requirements

    All applicants are required to obtain a Data Universal Numbering 
System (DUNS) number as preparation for doing business electronically 
with the Federal Government. The DUNS number must be obtained prior to 
applying for OWH funds. The DUNS number is a nine-character 
identification code provided by the commercial company Dun & 
Bradstreet, and serves as a unique identifier of business entities. 
There is no charge for requesting a DUNS number, and you may register 
and obtain a DUNS number by either of the following methods:

Telephone: 1-866-705-5711.
Web site: https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html.
    Be sure to click on the link that reads, ``DUNS Number Only''